Very likely the NHL is turning a blind eye to this because they know with those two contracts on the books the Oilers likely miss the playoffs. If the Oilers miss the playoffs, a very high likelihood McDavid, Draisaitl or both ask for a trade. If that happens it’s a bad look for a league trying to re-establish respectable hockey in Edmonton and also have Canada be a focal point of the league with the new poster boy for the league previously having Crosby in Pittsburgh. The league is desperate to get a Stanley Cup back to Canada and have hitChed their wagon to McDavid and the Coilers to do it. Look at the concessions , the schedule, etc. it all supports this.
This is 98% the same team that played with Woodcroft and his system for 54 games last year. How long do they need?
For reference, that is more games than 2 of the last 5 coaches had in Edmonton total, and 8 games shy of the 3rd.
I was going to same something about time and undergraduate to masters but it's clear that this system has been in place since McAvi joined and it's actually pre-school, elementary, etc. 8 years in so graduation is a ways away.
The ultimate banner - "Edmonton Systems Graduate Class of 2029"
The one thing Smith was good for, besides the belly flop lunge save, was he was able to help the transition up ice. Oilers without the puck are a tire fire. Oilers when forced to defend in their own zone is junior level stuff with the mistakes they make.
The one thing Smith was good for, besides the belly flop lunge save, was he was able to help the transition up ice. Oilers without the puck are a tire fire. Oilers when forced to defend in their own zone is junior level stuff with the mistakes they make.
This x1000, their D is bad. But Smith helped get the puck to McDavid and Draisaitl. Now that he is gone the D have to, and they are horrible at it.
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The one thing Smith was good for, besides the belly flop lunge save, was he was able to help the transition up ice. Oilers without the puck are a tire fire. Oilers when forced to defend in their own zone is junior level stuff with the mistakes they make.
The one thing Smith was good for, besides the belly flop lunge save, was he was able to help the transition up ice. Oilers without the puck are a tire fire. Oilers when forced to defend in their own zone is junior level stuff with the mistakes they make.
I actually think this is where Skinner helped them, felt like he was more efficient at playing the puck than Campbell was.
Helped slow down the Flames forecheck a little bit because of it.
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It’s obviously super early in the season but it would be funny to see the oilers completely fall apart this year once again. They aren’t in a great position to be sellers at the deadline. What players do they have that would return much value at the deadline? Obviously they won’t trade McDavid or Draisaitl (until they demand a trade). Anyone one else has anchor contracts for long term or they aren’t very valuable players.
I think the only players they could trade in that situation are Shore, Ryan, Yamamoto, Foegle, Puljujarvi, and Murray. I don’t see any of them bringing in more than a 3rd round pick/B-prospect. Maybe Yamamoto/Puljujarvi could bring in a 2nd round pick. Everyone knows any of the production seen from Yamamoto and Puljujarvi has simply been from playing with McDavid or Draisaitl. Once off their lines they don’t produce anything really.
The trouble for Edmonton is that they will not get full team buy in so long as they have half of their forward warming the bench.
It has to be disheartening to know that no matter what you do in the game and no matter how the game goes, the most time you're gonna be on the ice is in the warm-up.
It has to be disheartening to know that no matter what you do in the game and no matter how the game goes, the most time you're gonna be on the ice is in the warm-up.
I've spent parts of my hockey career as a bench warmer, and losing sucks twice as bad, because you're pissed off at the lazy non back checking "skilled forward" who did nothing with their extra dozen shifts.
I actually think this is where Skinner helped them, felt like he was more efficient at playing the puck than Campbell was.
Helped slow down the Flames forecheck a little bit because of it.
Yeah, Skinner was good at the stop and short pass. Better than Vladar in fact, who often made no attempt (a part of his game he needs to work at a bit).
The trouble for Edmonton is that they will not get full team buy in so long as they have half of their forward warming the bench.
The trouble with Edmonton is they only have a scary PP. They get down in games and they have to rely on the zebras and the extra man to get back into them. Sadly the NHL continues to contribute to their success and reward their futility. If you look at the ticky-taky crap that was called in Edmonton on Saturday you can see the mandate in action. Edmonton's biggest problem is the NHL doesn't make them play by the same rules every other team has to live by. They are selling elite players, not elite teams, much to the detriment of the league itself.
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The trouble with Edmonton is they only have a scary PP. They get down in games and they have to rely on the zebras and the extra man to get back into them. Sadly the NHL continues to contribute to their success and reward their futility. If you look at the ticky-taky crap that was called in Edmonton on Saturday you can see the mandate in action. Edmonton's biggest problem is the NHL doesn't make them play by the same rules every other team has to live by. They are selling elite players, not elite teams, much to the detriment of the league itself.
The panel started out the first intermission saying all Edmonton needs is an early PP in the 2nd period and they will be a good shape. It's known. The Oilers are nothing without the PP, and the league helps them. The media would, if they could.
The ATL was funny to read with Oil fans talking about how CBC = Calgary Broadcasting Company. The media loves the idea of McDavid winning it all and push that narrative. At the same time, they can't say Calgary is a bad team. They have to call a good team good.
The panel started out the first intermission saying all Edmonton needs is an early PP in the 2nd period and they will be a good shape. It's known. The Oilers are nothing without the PP, and the league helps them. The media would, if they could.
The ATL was funny to read with Oil fans talking about how CBC = Calgary Broadcasting Company. The media loves the idea of McDavid winning it all and push that narrative. At the same time, they can't say Calgary is a bad team. They have to call a good team good.
Even someone like Bieksa hasn't really questioned the Oil and the way the team operates like that. Either they all have blinders on to it, or they proactively steer away from that as a talking point.
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The trouble with Edmonton is they only have a scary PP. They get down in games and they have to rely on the zebras and the extra man to get back into them. Sadly the NHL continues to contribute to their success and reward their futility. If you look at the ticky-taky crap that was called in Edmonton on Saturday you can see the mandate in action. Edmonton's biggest problem is the NHL doesn't make them play by the same rules every other team has to live by. They are selling elite players, not elite teams, much to the detriment of the league itself.
I would say in general the ref's usually give the trailing team a few PP's to give them a chance. The reason it's so noticeable in Edmonton is because they tend to call really soft infractions against McDavid, and the Oilers have a good PP so they capitalize on these chances.
The Oilers are at the very bottom of playoff teams in terms of 5v5 goal differential (16th last year).
It's odd to have such a poor 5v5 team be so good on the PP, so these calls stand out more.
Maybe the refs should just call the infractions properly and let the result be what they will be.
I think Edmonton really failed to consider that Smith played very well the last month of the season and in the playoffs. Except for a few puck-handling blunders, he gave them starting goalie minutes at a very cheap cap hit. Add in that they lost Koskinen who when deployed in a backup role is okay. They are now paying someone starting goalie salary, who hasn't proven to be a capable starter over a number of years. They are relying on a rookie who is inconsistent. Their goaltending, in my opinion, has taken a sizable step backwards. They also lost one of their better defencemen in Keith with no replacement. Again, the Edmonton approach is to outscore their problems. It is not that surprising that they are again plagued by slow starts.
Last year, they had a few things fall into place with Kane coming to them cheap and Smith getting hot at the right time of year. We'll see if they can find similar magic in a bottle. I think that they may find themselves on the bubble fighting for a playoff spot, if Vegas is improved this year.
I think Edmonton really failed to consider that Smith played very well the last month of the season and in the playoffs. Except for a few puck-handling blunders, he gave them starting goalie minutes at a very cheap cap hit. Add in that they lost Koskinen who when deployed in a backup role is okay. They are now paying someone starting goalie salary, who hasn't proven to be a capable starter over a number of years. They are relying on a rookie who is inconsistent. Their goaltending, in my opinion, has taken a sizable step backwards. They also lost one of their better defencemen in Keith with no replacement. Again, the Edmonton approach is to outscore their problems. It is not that surprising that they are again plagued by slow starts.
Last year, they had a few things fall into place with Kane coming to them cheap and Smith getting hot at the right time of year. We'll see if they can find similar magic in a bottle. I think that they may find themselves on the bubble fighting for a playoff spot, if Vegas is improved this year.
but .. but they got better! because reasons ... full year of kane?
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edmonton will win their share of games this year but it's going to be with very ugly hockey . the pp is efficient enough that it can dig them out of getting buried five on five . the games they win will be the ones where they get enough pp opportunities to overcome their lack lustre game otherwise and will dive and tumble early and often to get those chances . its an abhorrent way to hockey but that's why e=ng
